AGILOX & DEHN SE

Tradition Meets Innovation

DEHN SE has stood for safety, quality, and innovative strength in electrical engineering for over 115 years. As an internationally active family-owned company headquartered in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, DEHN is now already managed in the fourth generation and employs around 2,500 people worldwide.

With solutions in the areas of lightning protection, surge protection, and occupational safety, the company makes an important contribution to the key challenges of our time. With revenue of approximately €465 million (2024/2025), 23 international subsidiaries, and a presence in more than 70 countries, the company’s global significance is clearly demonstrated.

However, the company’s commitment to innovation does not end with its product portfolio: DEHN is also setting new standards in production.

Mühlhausen as a flagship project for autonomous intralogistics

At the Mühlhausen site, material supply has been consistently automated. Since 2023, a total of 15 autonomous mobile robots of the AGILOX ODM (Omnidirectional Dolly Mover) variant, along with 6 AGILOX ONE units, have enabled an almost fully automated material flow. The fleet handles around 98% of production supply. Only particularly bulky or heavy goods continue to be moved by forklift.

The AGILOX fleet reliably supplies around 500 employees with materials across two floors. A special feature is the intensive use of elevators: approximately 200 times per day, the robots independently switch between levels. In total, this results in around 2,000 transports per day across the entire site.

Seamless material flow from raw material to shipping

The material flow is clearly structured yet highly flexible. At the beginning, the autonomous robots pick up an automatically stacked dolly directly from a robotic cell. This is first transported to a so-called “supermarket,” where the material is temporarily stored.

Only about one hour before production starts, the material is retrieved as needed and delivered directly to the respective workstation. After completion of the production order, the AGILOX AMRs once again take over transport and bring the finished product to the shipping warehouse. This end-to-end concept ensures optimal supply without unnecessary intermediate movements or waiting times.

High-performance logistics with impressive key figures

The results of this automation speak for themselves: since the integration of AGILOX vehicles, more than 1,000,000 transports have been carried out. During this time, the vehicles have traveled over 200,000 kilometers and moved more than 60,000 tons of material.

The system includes around 700 sources and sinks, most of which were trained internally—a testament to the expertise built within the company. The concept is complemented by two 6-box carriers, which connect the two automated KLT warehouses. These have already transported more than 700,000 small load carriers (KLTs) and ensure a smooth material flow between the production and shipping warehouses.

All transport orders are centrally controlled via an interface to the Uniware warehouse management system, as well as to other systems such as ERP and MES. With the help of AGILOX ANALYTICS, all relevant data is evaluated to continuously identify and implement optimization potential.

Challenges on the path to automation

However, the path to such comprehensive automation was by no means trivial. One of the most important foundations was the creation of suitable framework conditions. Order and cleanliness in production were essential: clear travel paths, suitable floor conditions, and consistently emptied transfer stations formed the basis for stable operations.

Another challenge was mixed traffic. Autonomous mobile robots, forklifts, and pedestrians must share the same areas, requiring clear structuring. At DEHN SE, a balanced approach was chosen: while about 20% of routes are defined as one-way streets, the majority of navigation is free and dynamic. This is complemented by designated areas, speed adjustments, and clearly defined traffic rules.

Technical integration also posed significant demands. The AGILOX AMRs had to communicate seamlessly with numerous interfaces, including:

Portal robots
Elevators
Fire protection doors
High-speed doors
Lift tables
Conveyor transfer stations for box carriers

In particular, controlling the two elevators and communication within the internal IT network were among the most complex tasks during the ramp-up phase. At the same time, the dynamic production environment required a high degree of system adaptability.

In addition to the technical aspects, the human factor also played a decisive role. Building internal expertise, clearly defining responsibilities, and above all gaining employee acceptance were key success factors.

Visible successes and real added value

Following successful implementation, the benefits are clearly evident in day-to-day operations. Particularly noteworthy is the integration of AGILOX AMRs in the portal robot area, where up to five vehicles can operate safely at the same time. Cross-floor transport also functions smoothly, including intelligent elevator control and parallel use by multiple robots.

The introduction of zone-based fleet management enables efficient control of traffic flows, while the AGILOX box carriers play a central role in connecting storage areas.

An often underestimated but particularly valuable effect is employee development. New areas of responsibility are emerging, skills are being built, and the system is continuously being improved. Over 50 optimization ideas from the team have already been successfully implemented.

Success factors for the automation transformation

The experience at DEHN SE shows that entering autonomous intralogistics primarily requires courage and a clear vision. The approach of “just getting started”, initially with a single AMR and independently of complex IT structures, has proven to be extremely effective.

It is crucial to develop a target vision for a largely automated material flow at an early stage and to involve employees who actively drive the topic forward. Equally important is choosing a system that best fits the specific application. Setbacks and critical voices are part of the process but should not deter from the chosen path.

“1,000,000 transports are a strong sign of performance, stability, and partnership. Together with AGILOX, we have sustainably automated our intralogistics and elevated it to a new level.”

Dominik Meier (Logistics Control Center at DEHN SE)

Outlook

The transformation of intralogistics at DEHN impressively demonstrates what the factory of the future can look like: connected, flexible, and largely autonomous. Autonomous mobile robots are not just a tool for increasing efficiency, but a central building block for resilient and scalable production systems.

*Image and video material copyright by DEHN SE.

Future of Intralogistics at DEHN SE: Autonomous Material Supply at the Mühlhausen Site